Christmas festivities are winding down while New Yorkers are gearing up for a major snow storm.
The fast-moving storm is poised to bring snow and ice to huge swaths of Northeast this weekend, with more than 23 million people under winter storm warnings — including New York City, which could see its most significant snowfall since 2022.
The city should start seeing its first flakes on Friday evening around 5 p.m., with temperatures slated to stay the low 20s, the National Weather Service said.
The snow is supposed to start off light and airy, becoming more dense and wet as the storm pushes through the area. The snowfall will be at its most intense overnight, around 2 or 3 a.m. on Saturday, at which point flakes will be falling at a rate of 2 inches an hour. The snow will continue into Saturday morning before ultimately tapering off around noon. In total, between 5 and 9 inches are expected, the NWS said, noting that some spots could see “10 inches where the heaviest bands set up.”
If the city does in fact see more than 4 inches of snow, it will be the most significant accumulation since January 2022, when more than 8 inches fell in Central Park. Snow has been light in the years since. Last year, just more than a foot of snow accumulated throughout the entire season, topping 2023’s total, which measured just about 8 inches. The snowfall in the year prior was even less, with totals barely topping 2 inches.
Five to 8 inches of snow is also in the forecast for northern New Jersey, while Hartford, Conn., could get about 4 inches.
The upcoming winter weather will result in “hazardous travel” and “snow-covered roads” in a addition to “reduced visibilities due to falling snow.” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said that New Yorkers traveling on Friday “may wish to rearrange” their plans, and Mayor Eric Adams asked city residents to avoid driving if possible.
A winter storm watch is in effect for much of the tri-state area, including New York City, beginning 4 p.m. Friday and continuing through 1 p.m. Saturday. New York City Emergency Management has also issued a travel advisory for the same timeframe
